They all hoped
by 000Diana000
Summary: **spoilers for battle of the five armies** Some characters' take on Bilbo and Thorin's relationship. It can be slash if you wanna read it that way.


**From what you can see I watched The Hobbit Battle of the Five armies. This will contain spoilers. Like a whole bunch of them even though there are some parts from the other two movies.**

**The move was heartbreaking and I really had to write something, so here we go. The movie made me ship Bilbo and Thorin even more, but this fic is not necessarily romance. You can read it how you want though.**

**It's some character's take on Bilbo and Thorin's interactions.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything**

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><p>From the day his eyes landed on the young hobbit, Gandalf knew that Bilbo Baggins would leave his mark on a story which would eventually pass into legend. Choosing him as a burglar had been a risky business. Sending him thirteen dwarves to accompany in a journey he had few chances of returning back to his precious Bag End, Gandalf vowed to himself he would see the hobbit back home safe.<p>

Thorin Oakenshield was well known throughout the Middle Earth as stubborn, proud and fierce. Those traits were pretty common for a dwarf. He was noble and that's what the wizard counted on. Erebor had been ruled bi Smaug for long enough and Thorin thought the same.

Thorin took a lot of convincing that he needed a fourteenth member of his company. Gandalf saw him do a double take when he met the burglar, but the wizard couldn't really blame him for that. Appearance is misleading and the fate of Durin's kin lay on the shoulders of a hobbit.

Despite his rudeness at times and mistrust in Gandalf's choice, Thorin accepted Bilbo in his company. It would take time to convince the dwarvish heir that they actually needed Mr. Baggins. When Bilbo returned to them and admitted to being tempted to leave home, but taking the decision to help is what made something change within Thorin. Gandalf had seen it and made a note to keep an eye on the two of them.

After the attack of the orcs and the eagles taking them to safety, Thorin smiled for the first time since Gandalf had met him. It was all thanks to their burglar and seeing Erebor. There was still hope.

Most of the nights Thorin didn't sleep but kept his eyes towards the horizon in the direction of the Lonely Mountain. Some of those nights, Bilbo couldn't sleep either, also missing his home most likely. Gandalf had watched the two of them sit next to the fire gazing towards the yet unseen mountain without saying a word.

When it was time for the wizard to leave them enter Mirkwood on their own, Gandalf left knowing that there was another person to have vowed they would see the hobbit back home safe. Even though Thorin might not have known it yet.

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><p>Balin had known Thorin Oakenshield for a long time. The younger dwarf had made his ancestors proud so many times, yet it never seemed enough as long as the dragon ruled in Erebor. Although he had known Thorin all these years, he had never seen the dwarf care about someone else besides his own kin. That hadn't been a worry as were Thorin to become king under the mountain, Fili or Kili could be his heirs, no need for children whatsoever if he didn't want to.<p>

Seeing Thorin's eyes drift to Bilbo ever so often made Balin hope that maybe the dwarf would eventually find happiness in the form of a Halfling.

When the dwarves were kept prisoners by the Mirkwood elves, Thorin had been the first one to assure them that their burglar didn't leave them to rot in there. Fili was glad to see that Thorin's faith in their little friend hadn't been misplaced.

Kili had seen the look exchanged between his uncle and Bilbo when the hobbit asked them to jump in the barrels. Thorin trusted Bilbo with not only his life but theirs as well. Kili hoped that one day he would find somebody he could trust like that.

Thorin had paced around the whole time Bilbo had been inside with the foul creature. Bifour and Bombur were considering binding him to a rock. Balin kept talking out loud though he doubted the dwarvish king heard him.

"Bilbo is a quick-witted lad. He'll get out in one piece holding the Arkenstone."

They all watched helplessly as the dragon illness found its place in Thorin's head. Blain was no fool. He noticed Thorin's suspicion. The fact that there was one person he didn't suspect made Balin think there was a chance the king would be himself again. He was himself most of the time around the hobbit. The mithril armor was as precious as the white stones and jewelry he refused to give Thranduil. Thorin offered it to Bilbo without a second thought. Maybe the illness didn't reach his heart just yet.

Fudin didn't raise a fool. Balin understood what Bilbo wasn't saying. He just hoped Thorin wouldn't find out about the betrayal. He wouldn't realize that what the hobbit did was for his own good. If in his madness Thorin would hurt Bilbo, he wouldn't ever forgive himself.

From afar, Balin could have sworn that during his chat with Bilbo about some acorn, the dwarf smiled.

Gandalf held onto hope. He hoped that Thorin would find a way to break free of the madness. When Bilbo showed up with the Arkenstone, that hope was shattered. Not even the hobbit could save the king now.

Words swirled around and inside Thorin's head while looking at the reflection of a dwarf he no longer recognize as himself in the gold floor. Voices of his dear friends and family. Bilbo's voice was the last straw. He broke free of the curse and illness.

He only hoped he would be forgiven.

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><p>When Gandalf found the young hobbit sitting next to Thorin's body like a statue the only sign of being alive was the rise of his chest. The wizard sat down slowly and waited for the hobbit to say something. When Bilbo didn't, Gandalf spoke.<p>

"Was it worth it?"

Bilbo didn't move for minutes and Gandalf got up as slowly as he sat down and left, leaving the hobbit to mourn, but he was sure he heard a soft. "Yes, meeting him was" coming from behind him.


End file.
